Ahmed Musa, a 93-year-old nut trader, asks his grand son to pull down a photo of him and his three wives. In his seven decades as the reigning nut trader in town, he has had 21 children by five wives, and 118 grandchildren. They call him Baka Son Matsi: roughly translated, Mr. Cool.

The Spirit of the Truth Academy is one of many “mushroom schools” that have sprung up in Lokoja to accommodate the youthful population.

The Spirit of the Truth Academy is one of many “mushroom schools” that have sprung up in Lokoja to accommodate the youthful population.

A stethescope hangs in a rural clinic in a suburb of Lokoja.

Aisha Takubu, who already has four children, went to a family-planning center in Lokoja to discuss birth control, still a touchy subject in much of Nigeria. At bottom, Ms. Takubu opted to get an injection to prevent pregnancy rather than take birth-control pills.

Ms. Takubu opted to get an injection to prevent pregnancy rather than take birth-control pills. Aisha Takubu, who already has four children, went to a family-planning center in Lokoja to discuss birth control, still a touchy subject in much of Nigeria.

Aisha Hassan who visits the clinic with her mother so she can receive shots for child spacing in Lokoja, Nigeria.

Stickers line the wall at the Family Planning/Population clinic in Lokoja.

A girl sells nuts outside of a clinic in suburban Lokoja.

�They will tell you, if it doesn�t have Nickelodeon, they won�t buy it,� said Samuel Akpah, who sells satellite-TV packages in a roadside shop. In the back, he also runs a family portrait studio.

The only public children�s park in booming Lokoja is badly in need of repair.

Ahmed Musa, a 93-year-old nut trader, second row, center, sits for a portrait with a small portion of his extensive family.

Ahmed Musa, a 93-year-old nut trader, asks his grand son to pull down a photo of him and his three wives. In his seven decades as the reigning nut trader in town, he has had 21 children by five wives, and 118 grandchildren. They call him Baka Son Matsi: roughly translated, Mr. Cool.

The Spirit of the Truth Academy is one of many “mushroom schools” that have sprung up in Lokoja to accommodate the youthful population.

The Spirit of the Truth Academy is one of many “mushroom schools” that have sprung up in Lokoja to accommodate the youthful population.

A stethescope hangs in a rural clinic in a suburb of Lokoja.

Aisha Takubu, who already has four children, went to a family-planning center in Lokoja to discuss birth control, still a touchy subject in much of Nigeria. At bottom, Ms. Takubu opted to get an injection to prevent pregnancy rather than take birth-control pills.

Ms. Takubu opted to get an injection to prevent pregnancy rather than take birth-control pills. Aisha Takubu, who already has four children, went to a family-planning center in Lokoja to discuss birth control, still a touchy subject in much of Nigeria.

Aisha Hassan who visits the clinic with her mother so she can receive shots for child spacing in Lokoja, Nigeria.

Stickers line the wall at the Family Planning/Population clinic in Lokoja.

A girl sells nuts outside of a clinic in suburban Lokoja.

�They will tell you, if it doesn�t have Nickelodeon, they won�t buy it,� said Samuel Akpah, who sells satellite-TV packages in a roadside shop. In the back, he also runs a family portrait studio.

The only public children�s park in booming Lokoja is badly in need of repair.

Ahmed Musa, a 93-year-old nut trader, second row, center, sits for a portrait with a small portion of his extensive family.

Ahmed Musa, a 93-year-old nut trader, asks his grand son to pull down a photo of him and his three wives. In his seven decades as the reigning nut trader in town, he has had 21 children by five wives, and 118 grandchildren. They call him Baka Son Matsi: roughly translated, Mr. Cool.

The Spirit of the Truth Academy is one of many “mushroom schools” that have sprung up in Lokoja to accommodate the youthful population.

The Spirit of the Truth Academy is one of many “mushroom schools” that have sprung up in Lokoja to accommodate the youthful population.

A stethescope hangs in a rural clinic in a suburb of Lokoja.

Aisha Takubu, who already has four children, went to a family-planning center in Lokoja to discuss birth control, still a touchy subject in much of Nigeria. At bottom, Ms. Takubu opted to get an injection to prevent pregnancy rather than take birth-control pills.

Ms. Takubu opted to get an injection to prevent pregnancy rather than take birth-control pills. Aisha Takubu, who already has four children, went to a family-planning center in Lokoja to discuss birth control, still a touchy subject in much of Nigeria.

Aisha Hassan who visits the clinic with her mother so she can receive shots for child spacing in Lokoja, Nigeria.

Stickers line the wall at the Family Planning/Population clinic in Lokoja.

A girl sells nuts outside of a clinic in suburban Lokoja.

�They will tell you, if it doesn�t have Nickelodeon, they won�t buy it,� said Samuel Akpah, who sells satellite-TV packages in a roadside shop. In the back, he also runs a family portrait studio.

The only public children�s park in booming Lokoja is badly in need of repair.

Ahmed Musa, a 93-year-old nut trader, second row, center, sits for a portrait with a small portion of his extensive family.